Virtual reality (VR) content, 3D 360 degree panoramic content, or other 3D content can provide a uniquely immersive experience to a user. For example, VR or 360 degree panoramic content can give a user the ability to “look around” inside a virtual environment or other 3D scene while motion or other activity occurs around the user.
3D content (such as VR content or 3D 360 degree panoramic content) can be stored and relayed to user devices for display in a conventional video file format (i.e. a 2D video codec such as H.264 or file format such as .mp4, .avi, or any other suitable format). The user device can then interpret the received file to extract and display the 3D content to a user. For example, 3D video content can be stored as a stereoscopic video, a video file containing separate video content for each of a user's eyes. The user device can then interpret and display the received 3D content. However traditional methods of storing 3D content in conventional video file formats can introduce artifacts into the video content and lead to a poor experience for the end user. For example, stereoscopic video content has problems handling a user looking up or down (or user rolling or tilting their head). Similarly, stereoscopic 3D 360 panoramic content can produce a progressively less convincing image towards the user's peripheral vision. Therefore improved methods of storing and playing back 3D video content are required.